Topical drug treatments of virat conditions such as herpes simplex and neoplastic disorders such as carcinoma of the skin have been used for many years with only a moderate degree of success.
A number of drugs which demonstrate anti-vital activity in-vitro and when used systemically, surprisingly do not show efficacy when used topically. Examples of such drugs are sulphated polysaccharides as described by Parish et al, Inst. J. Cancer, 40, 511-518 (1987), particularly dextran sulphate, pentosan polysulphate, Eucoidan and carrageenins Baba et al, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 32, 1742-1748 (1988) specifically disclose that these compounds were found when tested in-vitro to be potent inhibitors for herpes simplex virus, human cytomegalovirus, visicular stomatitis virus, Sindbis virus and human immuno-deficiency virus. They were also found to be moderately inhibitory to vaccinia virus but not inhibitory to adeno virus, coxsackie virus, polio virus, para-influenza virus and reo virus.
Sodium pentosan polysulphate (SP54) has also been shown by Raff et al, Munch. Med. Wschr., 119, 23, 817-818 (1977) to have potent anti-vital activity both in-vitro and when given intramuscularly in the treatment of herpes zoster.
Other drugs falling within the scope of this group which exhibit in-vitro and systemic anti-viral activity include foscarnet, suramin, polysutphated polysaccharides, polysulphated polymers, purine nucleoside analogues and derivatives thereof.
Elsewhere, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,493 (Landsberger) are disclosed compositions comprising in combination a glycosoaminoglycan polysulphate (excluding heparin) and a cytotoxic drug. The known serious side effects of the cytotoxic drug were found to be considerably reduced by this combination.